Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel

The Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel is one of the Top End's most unusual buildings: viewed from above, the hotel is shaped like a giant crocodile, with the pool in its belly. It sits in Jabiru, the main town in Kakadu National Park, and offers comfortable rooms, a restaurant, a bar and a courtyard pool. It is a handy base for northern Kakadu, including Ubirr, Nourlangie, the East Alligator River and the Bowali Visitor Centre. For visitors who want a proper hotel rather than a campground or lodge, and who want to spend a night or two exploring the park's northern attractions, it is a practical choice with a touch of humour.

Jabiru is a purpose-built town set among the escarpment and floodplain, and staying here puts you closer to Ubirr and the Arnhem Land border than a Darwin base. The drive to Ubirr is around forty minutes, which makes it possible to visit the rock art galleries in the afternoon and return to Jabiru after sunset. Nourlangie is also within easy reach, and the Bowali Visitor Centre provides excellent information about the park, its culture and its wildlife. Tour operators run day trips from Jabiru, and you can book scenic flights and cruises.

The hotel provides the comforts you would expect of a mid-range property: air-conditioned rooms, a restaurant and bar, and a pool that is welcome after a day of walking in the heat. Rooms are straightforward and clean, and some look onto the courtyard or the surrounding bushland. The design of the building is a talking point, though you only see the crocodile shape from the air or from photographs, so enjoy it as a quirk rather than expecting a gimmick from inside.

Plan around the seasons. In the dry season, May to October, northern Kakadu is at its best, with open roads and comfortable weather, but accommodation fills quickly. In the wet season, from November to April, access can be limited, and some sites close. Services in a small town can be limited, so check opening hours when planning.

Bring insect repellent, a hat and sturdy shoes, and keep an eye out for wildlife at dawn and dusk. If your priority is Yellow Water, stay at Cooinda instead; if you want northern rock art and a proper hotel, Jabiru is the better base. A two-night stay allows you to see both the north and south of the park in a comfortable, unhurried way.

A few practical notes help. Fuel, groceries and basic services are available in Jabiru, but the town is small, so plan meals and confirm opening hours, especially outside the dry season. Book tours and cruises early, since seats on popular trips fill quickly. Mobile coverage can be limited, so download maps and keep a paper copy of key bookings.

The drive from Darwin takes about three hours, so many travellers break the trip with a wetland or crocodile cruise on the way and arrive in time for a late afternoon walk or a sunset at Ubirr.